Method of producing upholstery formations



Oct. 3, 1950 H. M. s'rRlcKLl-:R

METHOD 0F PRODUCING UPHOLSTERY FORMATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7,0 mfm E lIl l Oct. 3, 1950 H. M. sTRlcKLl-:R

METHOD OF PRODUOTNG UPHOLSTERY FORMATIONS Filed March 5, 1947 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ...1.... ltoiw. f l JMNHNHMMMH Q" 34s. 1Jahr haii..

Patented Oct. 3, 19750 A UNITED OFFICE METHOD OF PRODUCING UPHOLSTERYFORMATIONS Herbert M. Strickler, Danville, Ky.

Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,532

holstery under priorimethods, has involved exceedingly careful and timeconsuming labor in order tol-provide the desired pleasing and finishedappearance, it being necessary that the front and rear members beaccurately positioned relative toeach other as well as ,to provide forthe proper stuff such backstructure.

The present invention is designed to greatly simplify the proceeding andmake it possible to produce backs of this type in a more simple mannerand with less experienced labor than has been heretofore possible andyet produce the finished location between these of the material used tobacks in such form as to be completely acceptable and to comparefavorably withthe products developed under the expensive conditionsreferred to. ,I

Under the practice presented herein, the front and rear members of theback, seat or arm, are unitdf along predetermined lines preliminary tothe application ofthe stuffing material, to pro.

duce an embryo formation, the initial securing of the front and rearserving to form pockets of definite dimensions such as will enable theproper amount of stuing to be added, and to addthe stuiling in simplemanner and with more or less inexperienced labor. Securing of the front.and

rear members is by sewing and by the use of` the usual sewing machinestructures, making it possible to produce the embryo formation withcomplete accuracy and with an assurance that the pocket eiect producedin embryo by such sewing, will produce the desired pleasing tuftedelfect when Vthe stuffing has been added. f

The success,` in thisrespect, rests mainly upon the sewing lines whichare used to connect the two portions together. For instance, themarkings ior the sewing lines of the front'member differ from themarkings used for the rear mem ber, but in securing the two together,these different markings-which, in effect, present similarcharacteristics with respect to the stitching progression-are stitchedtogether in mark registration; the product thus produced would beuseless without the stuffing, but when the stuffing is added, the embryoproduct produced by sewing becomes a finished front and rear ensemblewhich, in type, forms an efcient tufted back structure or assemblycapable of being applied to the upholstery as a unit.

`To these and other ends, the nature of which will be better understoodas the invention is hereinafter more particularly described, saidinvention consists in the improved constructions and combinationsinvolved in producing the product, together with the method of producingthe product, as will be more particularly described in thespecification, villustrated in the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pcintedoutin the appended claims. t

In the accompanying drawings, in which ksimilar reference charactersindicate similar parts in each of the Views: v Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a simple form of an upholstery ensemble in accordance withthe present invention;

Figure 2 is across sectional view taken fon line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig; 3 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; p Y

Figure 4 illustrates a plan view of a section of the rear member of theembryo pocket formation, themember being shown in sheet form andcarrying the markings for indicating sewing lines;

Figure 5 illustrates a similar View 0i a section of the front member ofthe embryo pocket for= mation,4 the member being also shown in sheetform and presenting the markingsrindicating the sewing lines for thismember;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a second form of upholstery ensemble inaccordance with the present invention; v

f. Figure 711s a rear elevation of the same.; y, Figure 8 is a crosssectional view taken on line 8--8 of Fig. o;`

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 9-9 ,of Fig. 6; Y

Figure 10 is a plan view of a section of the rear member of an embryopocket formation cf the type 'of Fig', the member 'being shown in sheetform and carrying the markings forvindi- 3 of the type in which theexposed front face is generally formed of one or more rib-likestructures, with each rib or puff terminating in a pointed portion, theribs having a rounded contour cross sectionally, so that where aplurality of ribs are used, they appear as connected individuals. Wherethe face is of extended area, the rib formation may present theappearance of opposing ribs in which the pointed end zones of one set ofribs are located relative to similar Zones of ribs of the second series,thus providing a somewhat zigzag appearance between the two sets ofribs. In such case, the ribs are not alined but are staggered relativeto each other. In other forms-as in Fig. 6, for instance-this appearanceis changed by placing the ribs in alinement,

thus providing a succession of small areas of approximate diamond shapebetween the opposing sets of ribs.

In each of these forms, the rounded appearance of the ribs is providedby stuffing, and to permit such action, pockets must be formed by theuse of a rear member which may be of a cheaper but strong materialsimilar to that used, for instance, as bed ticking, the front face beingformed of a desired high-grade -material such as brocade, velour, damaskand the like, the front and rear faces being secured together in orderto provide the individual pockets.

Under prior practice in this particular field, the need for pleasing andacceptable appearance of the front face and the uniformity of the ribsand their rounded faces has practically required the use of expertupholstery workmen especially trained in this particular iield, thusmaking the labor cost of production very high, since the workmanshipthat is essential is necessarily of a high order when attempting toproduce the struc ture under prior practice conditions.

The present invention aims to produce a generally similar result in agreatly simplified-manner and without the need of any unusual expertnesson the part of the workmen, thus materially reducing the cost ofproduction of the ensembles.

This result is obtained by changing the practice in such manner that itis possible'to produce the pockets by simple sewing machine operationsrendered active along definite lines, thus producing an embryo formationwhich can be completed by hand or tin stuffing with cotton, felt, orother filling material, and causing theV pockets to be puffed out intothe desired shapes.

The underlying feature in producing this result is the development ofthe lines of stitching of the embryo formation; generally these linesare indicated on the material as individual to the front and rearmembers, the diagrams for the two faces having general similarity as totype, but presenting certain distinctive dimensional characteristicfeatures. For instance, the lines of stitching for the sides of a ribare spaced a considerably greaterl distance in connection with the frontmember than are the similar lines for the rear member. The pointed endvof the rib is present in the diagrams of both members, but here the twoare also distinguished, but have a characteristic in common, in that thelength of each of the lines of a side of the angle which provides thepointed end is of exactly the same length; since the side ends of suchangles differ in spacing width in the two faces, however, it is apparentthat the depth of the angle is materially less in the front member thanin the rear member, when such angle sides are to be of equal length.

The relative formations in this respect are disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5,which show diagrams of the respective members as laid out when thematerial is in sheet form. In these views, A indicates the material usedfor the rear member, and f, B indicates the material used in connectionwith the front member of the embryo formation, these members beingassumed to each be of proper material arranged in their sheet form andprovided with Vmarkings to indicate the stitching lines, these figurespertaining to a simple form of the invention.

Referring first to the stitching diagram carried by sheet A, a indicatesthe stitching lines at the sides of the ribs or puffs; b indicates thelines extending angularly from an end of lines a and forming an anglehaving its apex at c. As shown in Figure 4, the lines a for the upperzone of the sheet lead from apex c of the diagram of the lower portion.As a result, the lines b of a succession of rib stitchings provide azigzag course across the sheet between the two series or ribs. In sheetB (Figure 5), the similar diagrams have the stitching lines indicatedrespectively at a and b with the apex at c.

In these two diagrams, the length of lines b and b is exactly the same.The distinction between the diagrams of the two views lies in the factthat successive lines a', a are spaced a materially greater distanceapart than are lines a, a; as a result, the angle between lines b and bis more acute than that between lines b and b while the depth of theangle from the apex c is considerably less than the depth of the anglefrom apex c. The length of lines a and a simply represents the length oftherib or puff body portion, and may be of any preferred lengthdependent upon the particular service for which the back is to be used.

As heretofore pointed out, the two sheets are sewed together under theusual machine sewing practice, but, due to the differences above pointedout, the operator is required to provide proper care in alining themarkings of the two sheets.

For instance, the sheets are initially placed under the presser foot ofthe machine with a line a underlying and registering with line a of theupper surface, care being taken that the inner ends of these linesregister, since these ends form the beginning of the angle whichprovides the point effect for the puff. With the two sheets sewedtogether on this line a, c, up to such line end-the sewing needle can beleft in its penetrating position at such time-the upper sheet B isshifted so that its apex c will register with apex c of the under sheetA-this shift places the line b of one side of the angle as directlyoverlying and registering with the similar line b of the under sheet,the superposed lines b, b then being stitched to the apex point, atwhich the sewing needle can be retained in its'lower position. By thenshifting the upper sheet to place line b of the other side of the anglein superposed registering relation to line b of the same side of theangle of sheet A and sewing, the angle is completed for the ribs orpuffs of both zones, so that when this angular line is stitched, thestitching of the opposite side of the rib can be provided by simplystitching along line' a', since line a properly underlies and registerswith line a' in such position. Since apices c and c are fixed by thestitching of the opposite sides of the angle, it is apparent that-linesa and a of the upper portion of the sheets are also in alinement so thatthese superposed lines can be stitched to 75 provide the side of theupper puff, and this can be provided following the sewing ofthe secondstitching lines a', a', as above indicated. Or, as is apparent, thesuperposed lines a and a can be stitched after the completion of thestitching of superposed lines b' and b of the rst side of the angle, thesuperposed lines a' and a of the upper half extending from thesuperposed apices, thus completing a longitudinal stitching, coveringboth zones of the sheets; to continue the stitching to complete theangle, the sheets are then returned to bring the apices c and c properlypositioned with respect to the sewing needle, after which the top sheetB is manipulated to bring its other line b' into overlying relation withline b, as above indicated, to complete the angle between successivelines a', a', so that with the sewing of the second lines the materialfor the first rib pocket of the lower Zone will have been completed. Bythen bringing the sheets so that the needle is located at the meetingpoint of the second lines b and b with lines a and a-such meeting pointbecoming an apex point for arib or puff of the upper Zonethe cycle orcycles thus described are repeated to complete the succeeding rib orpuii structures of the upper and lower zones, this operation beingcontinued until the proper width of the desired assembly is sen cured.

As is apparent, the completion of the sewing operation provides asuccession of pockets located on each side of the pointed areas providedby the sewing on lines b and b', with each pocket having its width thedistance represented by the spacing of the sewing lines a, a, of therear member, the material of the front member being excessive so far asthe width of the pocket is concerned, with the .result that the excessmaterial of .the front face is `active in producing the majoractual'depth of the pocket. These pockets each includes an open endthrough which the stuffing material can be readily inserted, as by handoperation or the operation of the usual tinlling device, the stuflingmaterial being properly positioned within the pocket so as Vtocompletely lill the latter. l

One of the main features provided bythe stitching operation in thisparticular manner is found when considering the pointed end zone of eachof the pockets. As heretofore pointed out, the base dimensions of thisportion of the pocket are xed by the sewing lines b, b, of the rearface. Due to the fact, however, that the generally similar angle of thefront face is of materially less depth, with the sewing'lines b', b',such as to produce a less acute angle, a peculiar development of thepointed end of the pocket is effected when `the pocket is filled. Thisdevelopment is due to the fact that, owing to the difference inangularity of lines b, b, and b', b., any line extending fromcorresponding'positions of the opposite sides of the angle would be ofgreater length in the front member angle as compared with the ang-le ofthe rear member, the difference in length of such lateral line servingto indicate the fullness or excess of the front member face over therear member face, thereby indicating the cross sectional area Vo1 thepocket at such particular location, the result being that the frontmember within this particular zone will, when stuffed, present somewhatof a taper lcharacteristic both as to width and the depthof the. rib,apex c presenting the extreme of the pocket.

VIn .this connection, one -of the peculiarities of the front member faceis less than that'of `:the

6 angle of the rear memberface, the result being that while the pointsof juncture of lines a and b are similar to the point of juncture oflines a and b, when the two faces are sewed together, the less depth ofthe angle of the front face has the effect of carrying this taper-likepointed zone as extending into the space between lines a', a', and thustends to blend the taper-like development into the body of the rib, sothat no material positive demarcation from the normal cross section ofthe rib is made manifest in appearance as the front member face reachesinto the zone of the pointed end. This is brought about by the fact thatthe difference in inclination between the angles formed by lines b', b',and b, b, provide for a fullness gradually developed so that taperingwill provide the proper blending between the two zones.

The conditions are made especially important through the fact that whilethe stitching of the rear member practically provides the width of therib or pui, the stufng of the pocket tends to slightly vary thiscondition through the fact that the rear member face of the stuffedpocket does not present a completely planar appearance but it alsocurved outwardly in completing the stuffed pocket, the curvature,however, being materially less than that of the front face, due to thefact that a less amount of material of the rear member is presentbetween the sewing lines a, a, than is present between the sewing linesa', a', of the front member. Hence, the stuied pocket will have a crosssection in which the radius of curvature of the front face will bematerially less in length than the length of the radius which willprovide the arc through which a cross section of the rear member faceywill extend.

In Figures 10 and ll is lshown a diagrammatic representation of themarkings of the front and rear faces `when the ensemble is of themedihed form shown in Fig. 6. As indicated in the latter figure, theopposing ribs or puffs are arranged with alined axes instead of beingstaggered as shown in Figure l, which presents the structure producedwhen the diagram markings are as indicated in Figures 4 and 5. In thechanged form, the pointed ends of the opposite puffs directly face eachother and since adjacent puifs are similarly arranged, the assemblyprovides Afor an intervening diamond shia-pcd pfuii of small dimensions.It is the production of this structure that results when the sewinglines are as shown in the diagram markings of Figures lo and 11, andwhich are now being described in detail:

The lower zone of each of these views is similar to that of these Zonesshown in Figures Il and 5, and the sewing lines, indicated as a and aand b and b are as before, as are the apices c and c', the distancedimensions being similar in both of these sets of figures. In the upperzone of the sheets, however, the markings have been shifted, and, ineffect, moved upwardly sufficiently to place the apex c or c' of anupper puff as positioned to practically coincide with the similar apicesof the corresponding rib ofpuif of the lower zone, this positioning Aofthe apices practically serving to shift the lines a and a of the upperzone laterally a distance equal to half the width of the rib marking.Because of this shift, the diamond shaped formation, indicated at d andd', is provided between the upper and lower zones with the vertical axisof the diamond alined with sewing line a or a', as the case may be.

YAs lwill be seen by comparison of these Figures 10 and 11, theresulting diamonds d and d present certain dilerences. For instance, thediamonds d of sheet A are elongated vertically, while the diamonds d ofsheet B are elongated transversely. This is due to the fact that thedistances between successive lines a, a, which represent the sewinglines at opposite sides of a puff, are less than the similar distancesbetween corresponding lines a' and a; this difference, when coupled withthe fact that the depth of the angle formed by lines b, b, is greaterthan the similar depth of the angle between lines b', and b', producesthis difference as to the elongation condition of the two diamonds d andd shown. Since the length of lines b and b' is equal, as before, thisvariation in the direction of elongation of the diamonds is made clear.

In effect, this change in diagram marking necessarily affects the specicsewing operation in securing the two sheets together. This is due to thefact that in the earlier form described, the sewing along one line b andb served to produce the complementary sewing line for a rib of theopposite zone. Under the changed diagram conditions, however, the sewinglines b and b' are individual in both upper and lower zones of theassembly so that additional sewing must be provided to produce theembryo structure, such sewing, however, producing the sewing lines forthe several diamonds d, d.

The elongation of the diamonds in the directions indicated may appear toaffect the actual formation of the pointed ends of the diamond; thearrangement, however, does not produce this result, but actually servesto provide for a pointed configuration at both of the vertical and thelateral ends of the diamond. In other words, the same effect describedabove-and referred to in connection with the production of the pointedend of a rib-also takes place with the opposite end zones of thediamond; the excess width dimensions presented by the diagram of sheet Bprovides the excess material needed to produce the bulge of the diamondthat is found on the lateral axis of the diamond dimension, while thegreater vertical length of the diamond of sheet A provides for thetaper-like showing that `is referred to with respect to the pointed endsof the ribs as heretofore described. In other words, the diamondproduced after being stuffed, provides a puff effect which practicallychanges in cross sectional area throughout the vertical length of thediamond, the overall dimensions of the latter being set by the diagramof sheet A as previously described.

As will be understood, the ribs or puffs of the upper and lower Zones ofthis particularform are duplicates of those shown in the simpler form,so that the embryo formation can be stuffed to this extent, similarly tothat of the simpler form. However, due to the fact that the boundary ofeach of the diamonds d is completely closed by sewing on the lines b, b,and b', by stuffing of the diamond portion must be provided in adifferent manner. To permit such operation, the rear sheet is cut,within the diamond zone, on a line extending transversely from one apexc to the adjacent apex c, the slit thus provided, however, not reachingto or disturbing the sewing line so that the sewing lines for thediamond remain intact. The slit thus formed and indicated at e, forms anopening through which the stuing material for the upper and lowerportions of the diamond can be introduced, the interior of the diamondpocket being completely filled by the stuing material. And since each ofsuch portions of the diamond is equivalent to the tapered zone of theribs or puffs, the exposed face of the diamond will have thecharacteristics of such pointed ends, as pointed out above, due to theeffects set up by the use of the diagrams shown in Figures 10 and 11. Ifdesired, the slit e can have its lips stitched or tacked together afterthe diamond has been stuffed, but inasmuch as the slit is carried by theunder face of the assembly and therefore unexposed, such stitching isnot absolutely essential, the stuing generally remaining in properposition.

As will be apparent, the latter practice may also be employed inconnection with the normal ribs or puifs where the assembly has its ribspointed and closed at its opposite ends, it being readily understoodthat the diamond d, in effect, simply omits the portion of uniform crosssection of the rib or puff beyond the pointed end of the latter. For thepurpose of illustration, the outer ends of the ribs are shown asopen-ended, but it will be understood that should the design of the backso require, the normal ribs or puffs may have the pointed zone at bothends of the ribs or puffs, in which case the stuffing of the pocketwould be had by providing a slit e at a midway point in the length ofthe rib, such slit being provided in rear member A and extendingtransversely between lines a and a.

As will be understood, the diagrammatic markings of the front and rearmembers may be provided in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by theuse of stencils, stamps, or any other desired way of providing markinglines which can be used by the workmen in connection with the sewingoperation, it being understood, of course, that the dimensionalcharacteristic differences as between the two members of the ensemblewill be provided in the marking source, so that uniformity of theproduct will result.

As will be readily apparent, the succession of operations which includethe marking of the members when in sheet form, the uniting of the front;and rear members by sewing based upon the marked lines, and thesucceeding stung of the pocket produced in following the practice,provides a succession of activities in which it is unnecessary toutilize the services of highly expert upholstery workers, since theoperations require no highly trained workmen other than that care needbe taken in providing the sewing operation to assure that properregistration of markings of the front and rear members is had inproducing the embryo formation; the pockets produced will require onlyroutine stuffing activities so that the cost of producing ensembles ofthis type is greatly reduced and yet provides for a serviceable productcomparable to those produced by highly trained workmen.

While I have herein shown and described several forms of ensembles andhave pointed out and disclosed the preferred details of producing thesame, it will be understood that changes, modi- Iications and/ orvariations therein may be found desirable or essential in meeting theexigencies of use, and Idesire t0 reserve the right to make any and allsuch changes, modifications and/or variations therein as may be found sodesirable or essential, insofar as the same may fall within the spiritand scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims, whenbroadly construed.

1. In a method of producing an upholstery ensemble wherein the ensembleis of the rib type in facial appearance and includes a pointed end zoneof the rib, the steps of sewing a front member to a rear member alongpredetermined parallel longitudinally extending lines of similar typebut with the dimension` characteristics varying in the front and rearmembers to form opposite sides of the rib, sewing along lines angular tothe parallel lines in converging relation to an apex to provide thepointed end of the rib, thus forming a pocket between the front andYrear members to receive stuing material to complete the rib.

2. A method as in claim 1 characterized in that the front and rearmembers each carries guide lines for sewing with the guide lines of amember individual to the dimensional characteristics of that member inthe production of the rib formation.

3. A method as in claim 2 characterized in that the front member isdisposed on the rear member and a line of the general type present onthe upper memberV is positioned in registration with 10 thecorresponding line of the rear member and sewing the members along theregistering lines, repeating the registering conditions for each of theguide lines of the upper member.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the parallel lines of the upper memberare spaced apart a greater distance than the parallel lines of the lowermember, with the angular lines similar in length in both members tothereby provide a varig ation in angle values between the pointed endzones of the two members with the upper member carrying the greaterangle value and lesser depth value of the angle.

HERBERT M. STRICKLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,321,458 Ledwinka Nov. 11, 19191,353,340 Heitzenreder Sept. 21, 1920 1,426,720 Dwight Aug. 22, 19221,752,914 Leibe Apr. 1, 1930

